Well, according to the HR directors of some of Britain's top companies, it's not as simple as it sounds, because great culture is usually a combination of a huge number of elements.

Providing inspiring physical surroundings might seem superficial, but plenty of HR directors know how much difference this can make. Creative agency McCann Manchester sets great store by its working environment – a three-acre campus, south of the city, that has its own allotment and outdoor pool.

"Bonis Hall is a community not a workplace, that's what the culture here is about," explains Darren Minshall, the company's talent and development director. For McCann, a great working environment isn't just a perk, it's integral to doing a great job.

"To produce creative solutions we have to be creative. It's not about targets, money, performance, it's about motivation, engagement and enjoying the job you do. The environment fosters that collaboration," he says.

Open office environments can make leadership teams more visible and accessible, says Marie Eaton, head of operations of Heineken: "Our leadership team are true role models, they're incredibly accessible and approachable. You see that at the coffee machines, where you can easily have a chat with them; that sets the tone for what it's like to work here."

Although leadership matters, employee engagement is a crucial part of positive office cultures. "It shouldn't feel it's all centrally done to you," says Hilary Richardson, HR partner at Rider Levett Bucknall (RLB), and Eaton agrees: "It has to be a two-way process. An organisation can set the broad framework, but having people define it is what brings it to life."

Different companies employ different tools for engaging with staff, but good ones do a lot of it – and they listen to what they hear.

McCann's "Our McCann" initiative is an employee team that meets regularly to talk about how to make it a great place to work. Heineken is a big fan of annual engagement surveys, to which, last year, 88% of Heineken staff responded. That's a good sign, says Eaton: "People take the time to fill it in because they know their voice gets heard."

RLB uses the balanced scorecard and a system of office reps for areas such as corporate social responsibility, environment and HR. But, warns Richardson: "If you ask staff what they think, you have to be prepared to listen. It's a never-ending cycle of improvement. We are constantly raising the bar and you can only do that if you are constantly listening."

Companies that are poor communicators will struggle to create a good culture and openness must be based on honesty. "What employees are looking for is a sense of authenticity – they want organisations to tell it like it is, they don't want spin," Eaton says.

"Authenticity makes a massive difference. It's very destructive when it's not there, which is why I'm so passionate about it."

How organisations invest in training and development, also has a major impact on culture, Richardson believes. "It makes for a healthier, happier workplace if people are supported to try to achieve their potential," she says.

Her colleague Louise North is a good example. She joined as a secretary and today is a fully-qualified HR adviser.

"I love it. I have been here for 17 years," North says. "And I get a call at the end of every week from Hilary thanking me for the work I have done."

Different horizons

"We don't have corporate objectives, we have big hairy goals," says Fiona Deal, executive director corporate services at AmicusHorizon Ltd. A peculiar phrase, perhaps, but one that embodies the company's dramatic culture change over the past four years.

Deal arrived in 2009 as part of a new top team after the housing association had been placed in regulatory supervision. "It was seen as a failing organisation. The choice was stark: be broken up or do something about it."

She's led what she describes as a "cultural revolution", transforming a blame-led culture into one that is positive, can-do and solution-focused. It's been challenging, but central to the revolution have been employee engagement and leadership.

As Deal explains: "We put the people agenda first, that's what was different. We said to staff we want them to feel pride, that what they do matters. They needed to believe in us as a leadership team."

Using roadshows, surveys, staff conferences and people-management groups, Deal has been learning what staff think and feeding that into a new strategic plan: "It got lots of buy-in because it wasn't just corporate mumbo-jumbo. Staff could see their ideas reflected in the strategy and then they owned it."

Employee development has also been a major catalyst for change. "They had been under-invested in, but to do a great job staff need confidence, belief and inspiration."

The icing on the cake has been industry awards, which, for Deal, are a vital ingredient in any good business strategy. "We've entered every award we could find and we've won most of them. That builds pride. It validates everyone's hard work," she says.

Now outperforming other housing associations in London and the south-east when it comes to customer satisfaction, Deal tells staff she has higher goals for AmicusHorizon: "Our next aim is to be the best in the country. You'll be working for the best housing association in the country, knowing you helped to create it."